Hearthstone: Neue Erweiterung, mehr Deck-Slots, neuer Spiel-Modus

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

Big changes are coming to Blizzard’s online card game Hearthstone . They plan to increase the number of deck slots and introduce a new mode. The next expansion is also on its way.

Hearthstone recently introduced three major innovations. They plan to increase the number of decks that players can save from 9 to 18. Additionally, a new expansion is set to be released in spring 2016. A new deck format is also coming.

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Moreover, they are introducing a new “Standard” mode to the game. This will reduce the number of valid cards for this game style. In the “Standard” mode, only basic and classic cards may be played, along with those active in the expansions of the current year and the previous year.

Standard will be Blizzard’s new tournament mode, Naxxramas and Goblins vs Gnomes are being removed

This means that if in 2016, after the first annual expansion has been released, a Standard match were to take place, only cards from these sets could be played:

•  Basic
•  Classic
•  Blackrock Mountain
•  The Grand Tournament
•  The League of Explorers
•  Expansion in spring 2016

The new “Hearthstone” year always begins with the release of the first expansion of the year. For 2016, they have declared it the “Year of the Kraken.”

The two card sets Naxxramas and Goblins vs Gnomes were released back in 2014 and will thus not be included. This will be the new “Standard” mode. However, there will still be the “Wild” mode. This will be the current “regular” mode in which all released cards are allowed.

The Goblins vs Gnomes card pack and the Naxxramas adventure will no longer be purchasable starting spring 2016. Cards from both activities can still be crafted using Arcane Dust. Anyone who has purchased a wing of Naxxramas by then will also be able to unlock the rest of it.

Long requested: More decks!
Long requested: More decks!

The “Standard” mode will be the new tournament format for Blizzard and will change from year to year and expansion to expansion. (In 2017, the expansions from 2015 would be rotated out.) The mode will only be available for friend challenges and in ranked and unranked games. When it comes to rank progression, players will have two separate rankings if they play both formats. The higher rank determines their reward.

Arena, “Practice” and adventures will continue to be played in the “Wild” mode – just like before.

Some changes are expected in Hearthstone in spring 2016 – and a new expansion

Blizzard also announces that they will be making fundamental changes to some of the “basic and standard cards” that they have been considering for a long time.

The increase from 9 decks to 18 decks will occur once all nine heroes have been unlocked. It looks like this will be free.

Both the new mode and the new expansion are expected to arrive in spring 2016. Blizzard is not revealing what the new expansion will be.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Blizzard

Skyforge: Next patch brings a photo mode and faster catch-up work for newcomers

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time < 1 minutes

In Skyforge, the next patch is coming and delights players with a cool photo mode and faster catch-up opportunities for players.

When Time Stands Still – the Photo Mode of Skyforge

The Update March of Knowledge primarily brings a cool feature for those who like to create impressive collections of screenshots. The “Photo Mode” allows players to pause Skyforge at any time – no matter what is actually happening. The image freezes, but it is still possible to change the camera position and thus find the perfect angle for a cool screenshot – quite similar to how the developers use it for their images.

Skyforge Action 2

However, there is a catch: Since Skyforge is an MMORPG, time doesn’t stand still for other monsters and players. So it can definitely happen that you might meet your end while searching for the golden ratio. But one willingly accepts that for a great snapshot, right?

The second innovation is aimed at players who have fallen a bit behind and are lagging behind their constantly playing colleagues. Those who return later should now be able to close the gap between the pros and the newcomers faster, even with the resistances. How exactly this works is explained in a comprehensive article on my.com.

The patch “March of Knowledge” will be released on February 10.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. sf.my.com/de/

Destiny: Drop-Chance beim Eisenbanner war so mies, dass es ein Bug sein könnte

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

In the MMO shooter Destiny , a player played 300 matches in the January Iron Banner and kept track of his drops. What are the chances of getting good loot?

Some may wonder: What is the probability that a specific item drops in the Iron Banner? A player has now completed 300 matches and recorded what came out at the end.

He noticed: The drops are so bad, they could be buggy!

In the 300 matches, he had 34 Iron Banner drops, which means about every 9th game.

Destiny-Drops

PlayStation exclusive helmets are probably very rare

The individual drops for chest, boots, scout rifle, fusion rifle, and ghost shells were about 2.5%. This means that statistically, one of their kind appeared every 40th game (Especially considering they can vary greatly with light level… yikes).

Saladin-Eisenbanner-271
Shopping is probably the better alternative with these chances.

However, the player did not receive any PlayStation exclusive helmets himself. Although he saw them with other players – they were relatively rare. During the 300 games, he saw 3 of the coveted 320 ghost shells on the post-match screen, 3 PlayStation exclusive helmets.

Even rarer is the Iron Banner ship Hebrides Thoughtcrime.

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As for the maps, there were 8 maps available in the January Iron Banner that came up approximately evenly.

The community is pretty much in agreement: Considering Bungie wanted to increase the drop rates in PvP, this is quite poor. Players suspect a bug; there is no sign of the increased drop chances that came with 2.0 in the Iron Banner.

It seems to be the better tactic to buy the items you really want from Lord Saladin: This loot was available in Destiny’s Iron Banner in January.

A year ago, players had already tried to find out if the Crucible was worth it and what the chances were

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. reddit

Neverwinter: New expansion “The Maze Engine” presented

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

In the action MMORPG Neverwinter , the ninth expansion for PC and Xbox One has been introduced with “The Maze Engine.”

Neverwinter has a content machine running. Well, it certainly helps that basically every content patch is referred to as an expansion or “module.” The last update, which will also be released for Xbox One in February, was Underdark. However, Xbox and PC won’t be on the same version for long, as “The Maze Engine” starts in spring.

The “Maze Engine” is an artifact that is on the verge of falling into the hands of a powerful demon lord. More details are not yet being shared: new demon lords are introduced, and familiar heroes such as Minsc or Drizzt Do’Urden are expected to return.

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Maze-Engine-Neverwinter

Five dungeons (or four – the reports contradict each other) have been revamped and are set to be reintroduced to the game as players aim for the level cap of 70. The Castle Never, previously the hardest dungeon, is particularly highlighted. It will undergo a complete overhaul.

Additionally, a new single-player campaign is coming – it is also intended to provide solo players with new growth paths. A fresh mount system will be introduced, which is meant to make mounts even more useful. In summary, it was revealed: all mounts will become stronger, and many new ones will be added. Moreover, improvements for the queue system are promised.

The new expansion for Neverwinter is set to be released in spring 2016 for PC, and later for Xbox One. Neverwinter is free to play on both platforms.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Perfect World

Albion Online: Endspurt bis zum Release im Sommer – Deutsches MMORPG hat noch eine Menge vor

Andreas Bertits Andreas Bertits Reading time 2 minutes

The sandbox MMORPG Albion Online is making great strides towards launch. Time for the developers to share some insights about their plans.

In an interview with a US site, the team discusses the shift from the planned Free2Play model to a Buy2Play model. Albion Online was conceived from the very beginning for a specific group of players looking for an MMO where they could be involved for many years. However, the subscription model was already not an option back then. Thus, they decided on a model where players can purchase cosmetic items and a non-essential premium status.

Albion Online Character

However, tests and feedback from testers had shown, that a Free2Play model would simply take too much time to get right and provide players with enough content. Therefore, they ultimately decided on the Buy2Play model. You can simply buy the game at launch and play as long as you want. The in-game shop will offer optional cosmetic items and premium status for purchase, enabling players to progress faster. However, this status can only be purchased with in-game currency.

There is still much to do before the launch

As for the launch of Albion Online, it is planned for the third quarter of 2016. Prior to that, they aim to introduce a lot of new features and changes. Dhe entire game world will be overhauled, so that zones and clusters function completely differently than they do now. There will be a crime and reputation system, and the entire user interface will be revised.

Albion Online Island Purchase

Additionally, they are already working on larger changes that will give PvE and solo play more significance. They want to create a synergy between PvP and PvE players. Thus, with Albion Online, they also aim to reach those who do not place much value on PvP combat. They will introduce so-called “expeditions” that can be completed entirely alone, with friends, or with a large group of players.

The crime and reputation system is also intended to make players think twice about attacking other players without cause – it will still be possible, however. Until the launch of Albion Online, the developers have a lot of work ahead of them.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. MMORPG.com

ASTA: “Koreanisches WoW” arbeitet an Feinschliff vor der offenen Beta

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

The Korean MMORPG ASTA speaks about plans that are to be implemented until the open beta.

Tai Tokens will become more valuable

Several weeks ago, we reported that ASTA, the “Korean WoW”, will not be starting the open beta until they are fully satisfied with the game.

Now, in an official news update, several points were addressed that are to be improved in the next version of the game.

There are major changes in the area of “Tai Tokens”, which can primarily be exchanged for good equipment. So far, these tokens could be obtained in instances and by completing repeatable quests – regardless of the mission’s level. This caused high-level players to complete all the low-level missions to easily get their hands on the tokens.

Asta Tai Tokens Vendor

For this reason, “Tai Tokens” will only be awarded for quests that are approximately at the character’s level. Dungeons will also only grant this token for the first completion. As compensation, players can purchase items a bit cheaper with the tokens.

Meanwhile, there are positive adjustments to the system of Divine Spirits and attribute enhancement. Both systems relied heavily on gold, although they could also be used for free in limited amounts. This motivated many players to simply accumulate as much gold as possible, which turned out not to be particularly exciting.

ASTA Soul System

Although there are no concrete details yet, both systems are to become more rewarding and access to them will also be possible through other means (loot, daily rewards).

ASTA Berserker

However, those who were looking forward to the Berserker are disappointed. The development team will not be implementing the new class for now; instead, they want to focus on refining the existing game content.

Meanwhile, efforts are also being made to extensively provide the game with voice-overs and translations to reach a larger market.

We will keep you updated as soon as there are new details about the open beta phase.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. asta.webzen.com/en/News/
  2. 2p.com

Star Wars Battlefront: Wegrationalisiert – Sterben Solo-Kampagnen in Shootern aus?

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time < 1 minutes

The online shooter Star Wars: Battlefront does not have a decent single-player campaign. Now, game designer Cliff Bleszinski (Gears of War) explained in an interview why the trend in shooters is increasingly moving towards developers not designing campaigns anymore. They are simply unprofitable.

Cliff Bleszinski elaborated in an interview about his upcoming first-person shooter LawBreakers why the gaming industry is focusing more on multiplayer. His answer was simple: Money!

“Campaigns cost the most money. Typically, they account for 75% of the total budget.”

He adds that one must consider that most gamers rush through the campaign in a weekend and then only focus on multiplayer. Therefore, he will forgo a single-player campaign in LawBreakers and rather invest the money in what people actually play extensively.

Star Wars Battlefront Shooter

Star Wars: Battlefront or Rainbow Six: Siege are just the latest examples of this trend that has been emerging for some time. Either the single-player campaigns are only a few hours long or they are completely omitted.

Of course, some developers also take the other route and build no multiplayer mode at all into their shooters, like Wolfenstein: The New Order. But that seems to be more of an exception in today’s world.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. GameSpot

The Division: Closed Beta is over – This is our impression, how was yours?

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 6 minutes

Since Thursday (Xbox) and Friday (PC, PS4), the Closed Beta of The Division has been running. Now it is over. We want to record our impressions and ask: What did you think of the beta?

Done, over and out! After a little extension from Ubisoft, the Closed Beta of The Division has come to an end. We want to pick out a few noteworthy aspects and ponder what future can be predicted for the upcoming MMO shooter. What insights can we gain from the beta?

New York, New York – Does the atmosphere convince?

Before we tackle objective insights, I want to begin with a very subjective aspect that plays an extraordinary role for me ‒ especially in games that want to provide long-lasting enjoyment: the atmosphere. How does the game greet you? What does it feel like to stroll through the apocalypse in New York?

While Destiny captivated me immediately with breathtaking intro and epic music, The Division was significantly more reserved ‒ in the beta, mind you! How the main game introduces you to the story remains to be seen.

The Division Character

First, we get to create a character. Well, “create” is not really the right word; let’s say you are allowed to randomly choose one. In the beta, detailed customizations are still locked. Therefore, a character is quickly selected, and you are thrown into the story rather carelessly.

At least the atmosphere, in my opinion, was convincing. The bleakness of the apocalypse stands in stark contrast to the Christmas street decorations. The mood is quite grim. You encounter stray dogs, corpses lie on the street ‒ everything is marked by decay and ruin. This post-apocalyptic setting has convinced me, yes.

Division Brooklyn

I would also like to say a word about the graphics of the Closed Beta: the graphics are good, undoubtedly, and on all platforms. Whether you admire the lighting effects or want to count the snowflakes in a quiet moment, both are possible with the graphics. But I didn’t find it overwhelming overall. Especially when looking at the indistinct faces of the characters that show no expression, you think you have seen better. In brief, the graphics are decent but do not set new milestones.

On the next page: Our assessment of the gameplay and the story.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Pages: 1 2 3

Funcom: Ex-MMO specialist wants to enter the trend genre Survival – planning 3 more games alongside Conan Exiles

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

At the Norwegian publisher Funcom, there is a breath of fresh air. But the MMORPGs are aging, new games are needed: The open world survival game Conan Exiles is where they are pinning their hopes.

Creditors grant a deadline, but MMORPGs are aging, revenues are dwindling

Things looked bleak at Funcom, but now there is a bit of light. After the creditors relented and agreed to a restructuring of the debt, they present the quarterly figures from Q4/2015.

Not much happened in that quarter. Main sources of income continue to be the aging MMORPGs The Secret World, Age of Conan, and Anarchy Online. The clock is ticking. As with every financial report, the message from Norway is: As they age, these pillars are crumbling away. Overall, revenues are declining. In Q4 2015, they made $400,000 less revenue than in Q4 2014. They are now at $2.537 million.

The Secret World Blue Mountain
The Secret World is aging, revenues are falling.

The monthly operating expenses have been gradually reduced. However, extraordinary items came up, such as the fine from the tax authorities, which caused expenses in the second half of 2015 to rise overall.

In retrospect, one can probably check off that quarter, as not much happened. More exciting are the ideas for Funcom’s future in 2016 and beyond. It is clear: Funcom no longer sees its future in MMORPGs.

That is why they want to enter the new genre with the Buy2Play title Conan Exiles

The plans are to fully focus on “Open World Survival.” With the game Conan Exiles, they want to succeed and benefit from old virtues. Conan Exiles is set to release on PC in summer 2016, followed by Xbox One and Playstation 4. Conan Exiles will adopt a “Buy2Play”/”Premium” business model.

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In the survival genre, games like H1Z1, Rust, Ark, or DayZ have already proven to be very popular genres, without “the big players.” Funcom wants to enter this genre, seeing itself at an advantage because they:

  • have MMORPG experience – which is in demand in the genre
  • own the rights to brands like Conan that fit well into the genre
  • possess strong multiplayer technology
  • and have shown with The Park how well they can work with streamers, who are important for the genre
Funcom-Plaene

“Small” game planned with The Secret World as a backdrop?

For the future, alongside the “key title” Conan Exiles, they also foresee a release of 2 other “smaller” games that are based on IPs like The Secret World or Age of Conan. In 2017, they plan to send another “innovative” game into Early Access, which will deal with topics like eSports or virtual reality.

This new corporate strategy is meant to work in a way that they plan a large, expensive title each year (this time it is Conan Exiles). At the same time, they want to release smaller titles for constant income, which should cover the innovation costs and benefit from the established IPs and the developed technology. Last year, they brought out “The Park” as the first game under this new strategy and were quite satisfied with it.

To implement the new strategy, they need capital between $5 and $10 million. They plan to obtain this through a stock issue. Details will be released later.

H1Z1-Zombie
H1Z1 as a model? Perhaps rather not.

Mein MMO says: The “trend genre” survival – perhaps they are a year or two too late. That Ark succeeded so well last year was a surprise for many. At that time, the “survival” hype was already considered yesterday’s trend. Too many games of this genre did not go beyond an interesting premise. But Funcom indeed has good arguments.

H1Z1 argued similarly back then: We are an MMORPG studio, the genre benefits from it, we will rock it. However, today, H1Z1 is also considered one of the games that have languished in early access rather than blossomed there.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. NewsWeb

Livelock: First Look at the Co-op Shooter for PC, Xbox One, and PS4

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

Livelock will be the first title from Perfect World that is not Free2Play – but is this action RPG worth it? Is it worth the money?

In the past few days, we have already reported on the upcoming action RPG Livelock. Now Jason Winter from mmorpg.com had the opportunity to take an in-depth look at the game and he has a lot to report.

The story of Livelock

Livelock takes place on our Earth, but it doesn’t look nice anymore. 150 years in the future, not much is left, as the machines are the new rulers of the world and are in an ongoing conflict with the remaining humans. As if that weren’t annoying enough, a large part of the Earth’s surface is also irradiated, making reclamation plans difficult.

Livelock Action 1

This is where the player characters come into play. While the spirit of the characters remains human – with all the creativity and fallibility that robots lack, the body is now fully artificial. This allows them to ‘survive’ on the surface and address the pressing issues. That a robot body comes with a variety of weapons goes without saying, right?

Explosions and vibrant colors

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Visually, Livelock is impressive and can score with a lot of action on the screen. Parts of the environment explode frequently, destroyed robots fly through the landscape, fires spread, and the colorful laser weapons blend into the wild mix of colors. While this occasionally affects the clarity, that seems to be somewhat intentional with such brutal action.

Co-op action for up to 3 players

Since there are three different characters that roughly fall into the direction of the Holy Trinity ‘Damage, Tank, and Healer’, the game can thus also be played with three players. Either you dive into the campaign mode, where the story of the world is recounted in 20 chapters, or you enter the ‘free’ play mode. Here, various objectives are randomly generated, such as protecting control points, eliminating certain enemies, or simply a survival battle. This is primarily an opportunity to farm some resources to upgrade your character.

Livelock_KeyArt
Is the game worth the money?

If you have already played games like Alien Swarm, you will probably feel comfortable in Livelock quite quickly. However, Winter had the impression that the simplicity of the characters and the lack of abilities could become monotonous quite quickly. The entry is extremely easy, and the target audience is likely geared towards ‘action and explosions’ – those who can embrace that should keep their eyes open. Whether it is ultimately worth $20 (roughly a similar price in €) will have to be decided by each interested party for themselves when the game is released later in the year for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. mmorpg.com

Sea of Thieves: Neue Gameplay-Details zum Piraten-Multiplayer-Adventure

Andreas Bertits Andreas Bertits Reading time 2 minutes

Sea of Thieves promises to be a very interesting multiplayer game with a pirate setting. Now there is new information about the game.

A new AAA MMORPG from a well-known studio – this has become quite rare. But with Sea of Thieves from Rare, this gap could be filled again. Officially, it is referred to as a “multiplayer adventure game.” Aaron Greenberg from Microsoft has now commented on the game and revealed some new details.

Sea of Thieves
Chaos or Order?

The MMO is said to be still in a pretty early phase, yet testers have reportedly had a lot of fun with it. Greenberg reports how he played together with Vice President Kudo Tsunoda, who simply jumped overboard and boarded the enemy ship solo. After a while, he reappeared and fired the cannons at his friends. You can have a lot of fun in Sea of Thieves simply by being silly.

However, things can also get much more orderly at times. During another gameplay session with Microsoft’s Hanno Lemke, Greenberg attacked his colleague on the deck of a ship with a fish. He asked what that was about and explained that he should really haul up the anchor. So, you can have fun in the MMO in very diverse ways. Whether you act orderly as a crew or just spread chaos is entirely up to each player.

Be a Pirate for Once

Sea of Thieves

Sea of Thieves is set to be released later this year for PC and Xbox One. According to Kudo Tsunoda, it is the best game that Rare has developed so far. One can be curious about what else will be revealed about this promising MMORPG throughout the year. Everything that has been shown so far definitely makes you eager for the finished game. One can also expect the typical humor of Rare games, which is already evident in the colorful comic graphics.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Gamespot

The Division: How powerful could you be at the end of the beta – Can your agent keep up?

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 2 minutes

What does a fully equipped agent look like in the Closed Beta of The Division? And how long does it take to cross the map? Both questions are answered here!

Emotes-Division

As of now, the beta of The Division is ending – it has been extended by one day. But not everyone of us has had the chance to take a look at the Closed Beta. However, even those who managed to grab a key probably didn’t have much time in the last days to discover everything that there is to discover.

Meet the Maximum-Level Agent!

Most probably have not yet maximized their agent to the fullest potential that was possible in this test phase. For all those who didn’t have the time but would still like to know what an upgraded agent looks like, we present the following video.

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Arekkz Gaming has done everything that can be done in the beta; every free minute has been invested in the game, and he shows you here what he believes are the best weapons and armor pieces you can acquire in the beta. Not only blue items but also some purple equipment pieces are included. You will also see one or two fancy weapons in the video.

Additionally, he gives tips on which skills he considers useful (particularly the medical ones). Of course, there will be much more gear available in the main game, but until then, this is the maximum you can achieve by Tuesday.

From A to B, please, across the map

In the following video, the YouTuber TheyCallMeConor shows you how long it takes to cross the map – regardless of whether your agent is fully equipped or not; it’s worth mentioning that he is strolling rather leisurely – with the sprint button, you could certainly shorten the fun. He comes to a result of 21 minutes.

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If you have always wondered how long it takes to leisurely cross the maps of other games, at the end of the video, he lists the time needed for some other games. Seems to be something of a hobby for him…

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. vg247
  2. vg247

WildStar startet auf Steam und bringt die Eiswüste Arkterra

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 3 minutes

The creators of WildStar are working on their latest content update – which brings new story elements, a raid, and a fresh zone. Later, it will go to Steam.

Off to Arkterra – the latest zone in WildStar

With the next patch of WildStar, they want to provide players with fresh content and are bringing out some big guns. All major keywords are included, so players can expect a zone, brand new story instances, and raid content. Additionally, there will be further improvements to itemization and the resulting power increase of the characters.

The Ice Desert Calls

The new zone is called “Arkterra” and – as the name suggests – it is quite cold there. Everything is covered in snow and ice. But what is actually covered? As is typical for the planet Nexus, there is plenty of Eldan technology and numerous artifacts of the Osun.

WildStar Arkterra Planes
It will be cold in Arkterra – very cold.

In Arkterra, players can find numerous bosses for larger groups, which follow an interesting snowball system. Once the first boss is defeated, the second, which is significantly stronger, appears. This continues until one faction has managed to defeat all bosses and gain exclusive access to a new instance for 24 hours.

Aside from that, there should also be a “new type of progression” in Arkterra, allowing players to earn cool costumes. It seems they are moving away from the reputation system or rewards from previous challenges. Exact details about this are still unknown.

More Story in the Chamber of the Archon

The background story of WildStar is like an episode of the series Lost. With every piece of information received in the past, new questions arise that need to be answered slowly. For this purpose, a new story instance called “The Chamber of the Archon” is waiting for solo players (or groups!). Just like before in OMNIkern, they want to score with special gameplay elements, so players can look forward to puzzles and fun mechanics.

wildstar drusera casting
What will happen with Drusera?

Depending on the faction, players will either be accompanied by Artemis Zin (Dominion) or Dorian Walker (Exiles) to uncover the secrets of the chamber, which will surely clarify some mysteries between Drusera and the entity – before creating new questions.

New Raid and Item Upgrades

To provide players with new opportunities for progression, a system for upgrading equipment is being introduced. Characters will be able to raise the item level of their favorite weapons and clothing by up to 5 item levels using various crafting materials. A similar system already exists in other games, such as World of Warcraft.

WildStar Arkterra Icy caverns
Some secrets lurk in the frozen tunnels (and certainly enemies will as well).

Apart from these highlights, there will also be a new raid instance for 20 players, the “Redmoon Terror.” However, there are no details known yet, so we will have to wait for the public test realm.

Coming Soon: WildStar Release on Steam

Steam Logo
Wildstar soon on Steam – will this bring the big turnaround?

Moreover, WildStar is embracing the possibilities of Steam and will hit Valve’s gaming platform later this year, which should (at least) temporarily boost player numbers. There is still no fixed release date for this, but they are aiming for “the first half of 2016” – WildStar should therefore appear on Steam within the next 5 months. We will keep you updated as soon as there is new information.

For more news and articles about the game, check out our WildStar theme page.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. wildstar-online.com/de/
  2. mmorpg.com

The Division: Neues Gameplay-Video zeigt Untergrund-Level

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time < 1 minutes

In the Closed Beta of The Division, players could mostly explore the surface of New York. Now, a video has emerged that shows a level in the underground.

Today at 12 PM the Closed Beta of Ubisoft’s upcoming MMO shooter ends. It has given us some insights into what life as an agent in the apocalypse can look like. However, the gameplay area of the beta was mostly limited to the surface of New York, with only a few locations, especially in the Dark Zone, allowing players to enter some subway tunnels.

Now we get to see an underground level in a new video from IGN, which showcases intense firefights. This area was not available in the beta. See for yourself:

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The underground consists of a vast tunnel system and offers during battles numerous opportunities to take cover, from which to intelligently open fire. With brutal advances, one would quickly find themselves on their knees.

The release date is March 8, possibly we will all get another chance to dip our toes into the game.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. vg247

The Elder Scrolls Online: Maintenance on 2.2. for PC, PS4 and XBox One [Update]

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

In the fantasy MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online, all megaservers on PC, PS4, and Xbox One are currently down for maintenance.

Yesterday there was a DDoS attack. Today, since 6:00 AM, the megaservers of The Elder Scrolls Online are down for maintenance. No timeline has been provided for when TESO will be playable again on PC, PS4, and Xbox One; it is only stated: The maintenance may take several hours. During this time, software upgrades will likely be applied. This may take less time on certain platforms than on others, resulting in the mega-servers coming back online at different times.

It seems to be a bigger issue, as Zenimax Online Studios will also conduct maintenance on the ESO Store and the account system. In the USA, it is still the middle of the night, which does not disturb the TESO players there (although there were complaints at the start on the West Coast when it was 9 PM). For us, the maintenance will likely extend into the afternoon.

Additionally, the test server is down, where you can play the Thieves Guild. Testing for the new DLC in The Elder Scrolls Online is expected to begin at the end of the week.

Update: It’s back up and running.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Destiny: Dawn Strike and Raid Challenge on 2.2.

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

In the MMO shooter Destiny on Tuesday, February 2nd, a fresh Nightfall strike is active. Additionally, the Warpriest awaits with a challenge in the raid.

Destiny Awakens from Its Winter Slumber

Slowly, the Destiny week is taking on familiar structures again. Next week, likely on Tuesday evening, a patch will probably be released, bringing the Crimson Days event. On Thursday in the Weekly Update, Bungie wants to introduce what minor improvements will be included in the February patch.

crimson_days_site

And then it’s getting closer to when we will receive real information about the larger game content that we were promised. There shouldn’t be anything standing in the way of that announcement starting next week. In Destiny, they always talk only about the next update. We should have cleared that hurdle by Thursday in a week. It has been promised for the time after Valentine’s that “the largest new content since The Taken King.” One can be curious.

Destiny-Valus

So slowly, Destiny is waking up from its winter slumber. But let’s first get to the new week.

Nightfall Strike on February 2nd in Destiny is Rockets McDickface

The Guardians are facing an old acquaintance. It’s going to Cerberus Vae III, the enemy is Valus Ta’aurc.

The modifiers for the Nightfall are:

  • Specialist – Special weapon damage is preferred
  • Fresh Troops – Enemy gatherings have been reinforced by additional forces
  • Exposure – The shields of the Guardians are enhanced, but do not regenerate.
  • Trickle – The cooldown of abilities is significantly increased.

This week, Eris Morn wants Hadium Flakes, the Future War Cult wants Worm Spore, Dead Orbit wants Relic Iron, and the New Monarchy wants Spirit Bloom.

Destiny-Warpriest

Warpriest is the Challenge in the King’s Fall Raid

After facing the boss Oryx last week, the Warpriest is up again this week. He is considered the easiest challenge mode in the King’s Fall raid. Here we have explained how you can take him down to get the bonus loot.

T3 Boss in Oryx’s Courtyard is Balwûr

This week, the witch Balwûr is on offer.

Destiny-Valus

Videos, Tips, Tricks, and Guides for This Week’s Challenges

At this point, we will embed videos of successful runs at the Nightfall, Oryx’s Courtyard, and the Warpriest Challenge Mode in the raid throughout the day.

Cerberus Vae III needs to be cleared today. This Guardian sets a good example:

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In this video, you will see how to approach the Warpriest correctly and secure the bonus loot.

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In the video, Nexxoss Gaming shows you how to deal with the T3 boss in Oryx’s Courtyard, Balwûr:

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If you are looking for direct help with the challenges, check out our thread about finding German-speaking players in Destiny. It could be worth it.

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Final Fantasy XIV wird nach totalem Fehlstart wieder für Mac angeboten

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

In Final Fantasy XIV returns to the Mac. The launch there failed completely with Heavensward .

For many fans of Fantasy XIV, it was just a footnote; they played on Playstation 3, PS4, or PC, but for Mac owners who wanted to enjoy the major fantasy MMORPG, it was a huge disappointment: The launch of the Mac version went totally wrong with FF14.

There was incorrect system requirements circulating, and in July 2015, they even had to halt sales and assure Mac players a full refund. That was half a year ago. At that time, the head of the game, Naoki Yoshida, personally apologized and took responsibility .

Final Fantasy XIV: New Adventures

Final Fantasy XIV back on the Mac, this time with the correct system requirements

Now they are reporting back after extensive tests and announcing a resumption of sales starting February 23. The system requirements and notes for the Mac version of FF14 can be found on this page.

On February 22, the offer to return the Mac version for a full refund will also end.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

The Division: Zu hart für Kids – USK gibt keine Jugendfreigabe für Deutschland – ab 18

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

The upcoming MMO shooter The Division will not receive a youth release in Germany.

As reported by Gamestar, the final examination of the PC version by the Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body (USK) has determined that The Division will not receive a youth release.

Thus, the USK follows the trend, it is also classified as “Mature” in the USA. In the USA, this means “17+”; in Germany, it means “18+”.

Division18

This is how the red sign “18+” prominently appears on the packages. No justification has been provided by the USK; from the USA, it was said that the game contains some harsh and realistic scenes of violence, a lot of blood, the depiction of corpses, and hostage situations. Additionally, there is swearing.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Gamestar

Black Desert: Release date for Europe announced!

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

In Black Desert , the release date in the West has now been revealed, along with the start of the 2nd closed beta test. We have all the information for you.

Black Desert starts in March in EU

After fans have been waiting for a long time for a release of Black Desert, Daum has finally set a release date. And indeed, you will not be disappointed, as the developers seem to be able to stick to the plan of releasing it in the first quarter of 2016.

Black Desert Giant

The release date of Black Desert Online is therefore on March 3, 2016.

Along with this announcement, the details of the 2nd closed beta phase were also announced.

The CBT 2 starts on February 18, 2016.

Anyone who wants a chance to participate in the 2nd beta test can register here (link to BDO website).

http://youtu.be/v6rmBCMBJWs

It is also important to mention that the pre-order packages can only be purchased until February 26 at 9:00 AM. After that, the opportunity for early access and pre-order items will expire. Depending on the type of pre-order package, players will get up to 96 hours of early access to the game – in the best case, they can start as early as February 28 and thus gain a small advantage.

In the meantime, players can download the character editor and create their hero, so they won’t have to “waste” time on the big day and can dive directly into the fun of the game.

Black Desert – probably the most interesting new MMORPG in 2016

Black Desert Archer

What the European and American server structure will look like is still unknown. An official survey was recently started to find out the wishes of the player base.

Black Desert is currently considered the “most innovative” new MMORPG that is coming soon. While competitors like Blade and Soul rely more on a classical structure, Black Desert goes in a more open direction. Here is our report from the first Closed Beta.

For more information about the game, you can find it on our Black Desert topic page.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. blackdesertonline.com/news/

Bless: Eine Videorundfahrt durch das Spiel

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

The MMORPG Bless is currently in open beta in Korea – we have some videos for you so that you can get an impression of the game.

Beautiful Images – But What Lies Behind?

Since January 27, Bless Online has been in open beta – at least in Korea. Many players are taking advantage of this to get a first impression of the upcoming MMORPG (and generate a few YouTube clicks). We have grabbed some of these videos to provide you with a rough overview of the game.

We start with an official trailer, which provides a rough overview of the game world, shows some battles, and clearly highlights the visual beauty of the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHFWJ2GkkX8

Scion Storm meanwhile discusses the character creation of the game and shows primarily that the “random” character designs look relatively nice. Later in the video, he presents the first minutes of gameplay, essentially the starting experience for new heroes.

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The YouTuber Steparu has taken the time to explore the first instances of Bless with his furry ranger.

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Steparu’s previous judgment reads rather negatively: “I think I like it relatively well, but it’s not overwhelming. (…) It doesn’t feel like a game I could play for 24 hours straight unless I really have nothing else to do.”

Even in the various comment sections, there are great doubts that Bless looks visually “Wow!” but is rather standard gameplay-wise. However, the game is still in open beta – perhaps the gameplay feeling is misleading so far.

By the way, we received an experience report from our community during the open beta, in which one of our readers describes his first impression of Bless. We will present this to you in the coming days.

You can find more information about the game on our Bless topic page.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. 2p.com
  2. massivelyop.com